Previously, many types of light strips have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means to produce light with a minimum amount of heat. Some prior art has been developed that places a series of light emitting diodes in various tubes or bulbs with reflectors for maximizing the light emitted. Others have used liquid inside the tube along with the light emitting diodes to transmit the heat to the outside surface. Standard light bulb bases have been used for connection to sockets and others have utilized couplings for attachment together forming a long lamp assembly.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date 5,890,794 Abtahi et al. Apr. 6. 1999 5,688,041 Arndt Nov. 18, 1997 5,655,830 Ruskouski Aug. 12, 1997 5,607,227 Yasumoto et al. Mar. 4, 1997 5,367,441 Wustich Nov. 22, 1994 4,941,072 Yasumoto et al. Jul. 10, 1990 4,748,545 Schmitt May 31, 1988
Abtahi et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,794 teaches a light unit having a flexible circuit board with a number of LED's extending outward from the front side and is covered with a transparent cover forming an outer cavity. The printed circuit board is supported by the housing in which a second cavity is formed. In a second embodiment the board is rigid and the LED's extend outwardly. In either case the outer cavity is filled with liquid for cooling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,041 issued to Arndt is for a lighting device consisting of a string of LED's in a circuit which is housed within a hollow transparent tube. Each axial end of the tube is equipped with a coupling permitting a detachable connection of another lamp assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,830 of Ruskouski discloses a lighting system having a lamp assembly made of a hollow translucent or transparent tube connected to a standard light bulb base. Inside the tube are housed, a series connected string of light emitting diodes, various resistors and a capacitor also a surge suppression device. The LED'S may be either discrete type or the die-on type mounted on one or both sides of a printed circuit board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,441 Wustich discloses an illuminating device used as a background surface of a display with a circuit board having LED's and inner reflecting surfaces. The circuit board is made of a light-transmissive material and serves as the background surface to be illuminated. The circuit board leads and LED's are connected for controllability and a scattering body of light-transmissive potting compound fills the interior of a frame. The scattering centers are in the form of glass particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,545 Schmitt discloses an illumination system for a display cabinet having a plurality of low voltage lamps in a clear cylindrical housing. An air space between a reflector and the housing provide thermal insulation preventing overheating in a display cabinet.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related, reference may be made to the remaining cited patents issued to Yasumoto et al. in both U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,607,227 and 4,941,072 which are directed to linear light sources consisting of an integrated lens and reflective frames for housing a base plate with LED's arranged in a line.